Second suspect charged in Allentown, Whitehall crime spree

Police say man was driver in Sunday robberies, thefts.

September 08, 2006|By Manuel Gamiz Jr. Of The Morning Call

A 26-year-old Whitehall Township man was charged Wednesday as the second person involved in a Sunday crime spree in which two people were robbed at knifepoint and another had her purse stolen, township police said.

John Meleschuk of 225 Seventh St. was with Andrew James Polly, 21, of Walnutport when the pair committed the crimes in Whitehall and Allentown, police said. According to court documents, Meleschuk was the driver when the crimes were committed.

Meleschuk was charged Wednesday with two counts of robbery and three each of theft and receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy to commit those crimes. He was arraigned before Senior Judge John Dugan and sent to Lehigh County Prison under $100,000 bail. Polly was charged Tuesday.

Authorities said Meleschuk and Polly began Sunday by robbing James Watt, 62, in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, 2601 MacArthur Road, at 6:20 a.m.

According to court records, Watt told police that the person who robbed him, pulled out a knife and told him, "I'm sorry that I have to do this, but give me all your money." The robber made off with $60, but allowed Watt to keep $10 and his credit cards.

Three hours later at Valley Farm Market, 704 W. Emmaus Ave., Allentown, Betty Aungst had her purse, which contained credit cards and $200, stolen from her shopping cart while she was unloading groceries.

At 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Allentown police said, Tracy Henn, 35, was walking home from the Allentown Fair in the 1900 block of Washington Street when a man brandishing a knife grabbed her purse.When she was reluctant to give it up, the man used the knife to cut the straps and fled with the purse, police said.